Barlow has been a seminal influence on British sculpture for the past forty years, having taught a generation of notable British artists. She began making work in the mid-1960s, breaking away from earlier British sculpture exemplified by the formal abstractions of artists such as Anthony Caro. Inspired by Arte Povera and American sculptors like Eva Hesse, Barlow embraced a mode of working that drew stronger ties between the sculpture and the artist’s body. She also took on a broader and more experimental approach to the materials she manipulates. Her works consist of disparate substances such as concrete, felt, wooden pallets, polystyrene, and fabric, often within the same work. These materials are a reflection of the urban environment in which she works and are often sourced directly from the streets. Barlow’s sculpture takes on an ephemeral, contingent quality as works assembled on site will often be broken down after an exhibition and recycled into future work.
New Museum Of Contemporary Art